This invention pertains to the measurement of surface flatness associated with concrete floors. In particular, the present invention relates to the processing of measurement data obtained by surface flatness measuring devices such as those disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,434,558 and 4,473,960, owned in common with the present application.
As disclosed in the latter mentioned prior U.S. patents, relatively rapid and accurate measurement of floor surface profiles to determine compliance with surface flatness standards in the building industry is made possible by means of a measuring device embodying an inclination sensor. The sensor as indicated in the aforementioned patents is a slope accelerometer from which measurement signals are obtained and processed to produce digital readouts corresponding to differences in inclination between spaced contact points on the surface being measured, engaged by contact pins projecting from the frame on which the sensor is mounted. The frame of the measuring device is accordingly displaced between measuring positions at rest on the surface on which the contact pins simultaneously engage the spaced points thereon. By displacement of the device or "walking" it along the surface being measured, differential elevation readouts from the accelerometer sensor are displayed to provide data from which the surface profile or flatness may be evaluated.
The measuring device is adapted to be displaced by twisting about a vertical axis extending through an elongated handle element extending upwardly from the housing frame, in order to advance or "walk" the device between the measuring positions at rest during which sensor readouts provide signal data. Since the accelerometer type sensor also generates outputs while the device is in motion as a result of its displacement by the twisting action aforementioned, the data collected should be limited to those intervals during which the device is in a steady state condition at rest in its measuring position. Care must therefore be exercised by an operator in observing and recording data displayed in order to achieve data collection accuracy.
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to enable less burdensome use of the aforementioned type of measuring device in the collection of accurate data for analysis of surface flatness.
It is a further object of the present invention in accordance with the preceding object to provide a data processing system associated with the collection of measurement readouts from the aforementioned type of measurement devices which will permit its use in an accurate and automatic fashion, avoiding selective observance and manual recording of data readout displays by the operator.